Rotary-piston engine.



o. E. BITE.

ROTARY PIsToN ENGINE.

PPLIATION FILED MAB. 27, 1899.

3 SEEETSf-SHBBT l.

H0 MODEL.-

WITNESSES: Mig 7 PATENTED 09T. e, 199s.

G. E. HII'E. ROTARY PISTON ENGINE. APPLIUATIGN Hmm MAB., 27. 1399.l

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No MODEL.

Us Lib, E L

. WITNESSES:

No. fmlovsa."v PATENTBD 0012.6, 1903.

' c. E. BITE.

ROTARY PISTON ENGINE.

APPLIGVATIONYHLBD un. 27. 1999. v s SHEETS-SHEET a.

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FIGI 6.

WITN ESSES:

1 5 ton heads equipped with piston rods, the con- UNITED STATES Patented October 6, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. HITE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CHEMICAL POI/VER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ROTARY-PISTON ENGINE.

PECIFICA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,979, dated October 6, 1903.

A pplication lecl March 27, 1899.

gines, 0E which the following is a specifica-- tion.

My invention relates to the class of motors known as rotary piston engines, which usually comprise, as is well known, a revoluble Vstructure mounted upon a Iixed shaft, and

embodying a series of radially disposed piston cylinders arranged in equi-distant relationship, in which cylinders are mounted pisverging ends of which latter are connected with or embrace a piston axle eccentric with respect to the point of junction of the axial lines of the piston cylinders and consequently eccentric with respect to the axis of the revoluble body.

Engines of this character are adapted for actuation by various motive fluids, and my improved engine may be driven by a liquefied gas under high pressure.

My improved form of motor shown inthe accompanying drawings, however,and herein described,is peculiarly and especiallyadapted for actuation by carbonio anhydrid or carbon-dioxid, and is of such a character as to render the use of such fluid entirely expedient and practical.

The general form and mode of operation of motors of the class hereinbetore mentioned is Well known to those familiar with the art. It is the object of my invention to provide improvements in certain features of construction and in the arrangement of the operative parts of motors or engines belonging to the general class above referred to,whereby their practicability and efficiency are very much enhanced.

In the accompanying drawings I show, and herein I describe, a good form of aconvenient embodiment of my invention, the particular subject-matter claimed as novel beinghereinafter definitely speciiied.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a central, vertical, longitudinal, sectional, elevational, View of a motor embodying my improvements.

Serial No. 710,583. (No model.)

Figure i is a View in side elevation of the same, partly in section, the section being supposed on the dotted line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the inlet port tripping cams'and their carrier plate.

Figure 4 is a transverse, vertical, sectional, elevational, view of a portion or" the apparatus, section being supposed on the dotted line 4:--4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a central, vertical, sectional, transverse, elevational, view of the motor shown in Figure l, section being supposed on the dotted line 5-5 of said ligure.

Figure 6 is a vertical, transverse, sectional, elevational, View, section being supposed on the dotted line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the accompanying drawings,

A B are a pair of vertically disposed standards upon which the operative parts are mounted, the standard B being provided with two independent heads or supporting brackets b b2.

yshown particularly in Figures 2 and 5, a cylindric rim, concentric with respect to the mainshaft C,-and three radially disposed piston cylinders D' D2 D3 the outer ends of which are merged into or connected with said l'OO ed as to its flared end to the adjacent face portion of the piston cylinders, and the body of said hub which embodies an opening axial with respect to the revoluble body encircles and is free for revolution with respect to the main shaft C or an annular bearing plate D4 mounted and threaded upon said shaft,-and said hub therefore forms a part of the revoluble body and through it a large portion of the weight of said revoluble body is transmitted to the fixed shaft.

E is a depending yoke provided with a head e mounted and rigidly secured upon the outer end of the piston axle C2, and provided as to its other end with a bearing recess e facing the standard B, and in line with the body of the fixed or main shaft C.

The elbow C and the yoke E extend in parallelism from the eccentric piston axle to the axis of the revoluble body, the elbow C being in the form shown integral with the piston axle and the yoke E formed as a separate member but rigidly secured thereto.

'lhe side of the revoluble body adjacent to the standard B is provided in the form of apparatus shown with two axles or bearing members, arranged in alinement, namely an outer, designated F', entered in a suitable bearing in the head b of the standard B, and an inner, FX, entered in the bearing recess e' in the yoke E.

Said two axles are shown as formed as integrally continuous ot' each other, and integrally connected wit-h an annular flared collar F. The marginal portion fof said flared collar is rigidly secured to the adjacent portions of the piston cylinders, and said collar with its two supported axles or bearing members, (which collar and axles I may term a spider,) I may form as a separate structure adapted when secured to said revoluble body to revolve with and form a part of it.4 The axle FX, and the bearing recess e of the yoke, form a swivel or journal connection between the yoke which forms an arm of the piston axle, and the revoluble body, at a point axial with respect to the latter.

G G2 G3 are a series of piston heads mounted respectively one in each of the piston cylinders, and adapted lto reciprocate therein toward and from the piston axle, and respectively equipped with piston rods g' g2 g3 pivotally connected as to their outer ends to said piston heads, and equipped as to their inner ends with apertures by virtue of which they are seated upon the piston axle C2, the arrangement being as follows:

The inner end ofthe piston rod g' is simply a straight shank so to speak; the piston rod g2 is as to its lower or inner end formed into two forks or branches, and the piston rod g8 is likewise provided with or formed into two forks or branches.

The forks of the piston rod g2 are closer together than the forks of the piston-rod g3, so as to be adapted to lie or exist between the forks of said rod g3, as shown in Figure l, and

the space between the forks of said piston rod g2 is of such size as to receive the nnforked inner end of the piston rod g.

The nested arrangement described maintains the meeting inner ends of the piston rods in such relationship to each other that they will rotate easily and smoothly and not bind upon each other or the piston axle.

In the operation of the herein described device, as will be understood, the shaft C with its elbow and piston axle, and the yoke carried by said piston axle, remain stationary, while the rim, the pistou chambers, the hub DX, and the two axles F and FX, all revolve together upon an axis which is that of the fixed shaft C.

In the operation of the motor, as the revoluble structure rotates, each piston head as it reaches about the position with relation to the piston axle occupied by the piston head G in the drawings, will be, as shown, in the outer or distant end of its piston cylinder, and quite close to the rim or periphery of the revoluble structure, while, in the continued rotation of the motor, owing to the eccentricity of said piston axle with respect to the revolving structure, said piston heads move inward to the vicinity of the inner end portions ot their respective cylinders.

Motors of this type are operated by introducing behind the pistons, about the time, or immediately after, they successively reach the outer ends of their respective strokes, motive fluid, which, expanding or exerting pressure in such position, compels the rotation of the revoluble structure in a manner well understood, provision being made for the exhaustion of said tiuid from the several chambers about the time the pistons have successively reached or passed the point in the revolution ot` the structure at which they are farthest from the rim of the revoluble struct-ure.

The means which I prefer to employ for the supply of motive fluid to the several piston chambers or cylinders, at the time they successively reach the appropriate point in the movement of the revoluble body, are as follows:

H is a [luid inlet pipe, (see Figure 1,) the inner end of which is passed into a countersunk axial recess K formed in the axial member F', which recess is formed or provided at its inner end with th ree radial outlet branches designated k.

Within the countersunk portion of the recess K and about the exterior of the pipe H is seated a quantity ot' packing material K compressed and held in position byan annular nut K2 threaded into the outer portion of said recess and encircling the pipe H.

The inner end of the pipe H is slightly reduced in diameter, so that asmall gas-chamber 7?, is formed at the inner end of the re cess. t

A series of radial branches h lead from the bore of the pipe H and discharge into said gas-chamber so that the gas passing through IOO IOS

IIO

said pipe enters said chamber and passes out through the outlet branches la referred to.

.lare a series of three radially disposed pipes the respective inner ends of which are entered in countersinks formed in the outer ends of the passages or outlets It', and the outer ends of which lead to and discharge respectively into three inlet valve chambers L conveniently formed in the hollow interiors of shells I..X mounted respectively on the sides of the three piston chambers.

L are a series of angular inlet ports, three in number, leading respectively each from one of thevalve chambers L to the outer portion of one of the piston chambers, and each embodying a seat for an inlet puppet valve M mounted in the valve chamber with which said port is in communication.

The outer portion of the hollow interior of reach of the shells LX is closed by packing material of any preferred character,inclosed between a pair of annular plates the outer of which is in threaded engagement with its shell, and through which projects the stem MX of the valve mounted in the valve chamber at the inner end of said shell.

The lower orinner ends of said valve stems MX are provided each with a circnmscribing groove, as shown'particularly in Figure 1.

P is a bell crank lever, hereinafter termed the inlet tripping lever, pivotally supported in a lug or ear secured to an adjacent portion of the revoluble structure, the inner end of which inlet tripping lever is engaged in the annular groove in the valve stem MX, and the outer end of which projects outward and in position to be tripped by one of a pair, P2-P3, of inlet tripping cams, erected upon a cam carrier plate P4 adjustably mounted on a collar P5 iixedlyrbut adjustably mounted on the exterior of the head h of the standard B. Y

One of said inlet tripping levers Pis, in the apparatus depicted, employed in connection with each of the inlet valves, and said levers, as will be understood, in the operation of the apparatus, successively encounter and are tripped by the inlet tripping cam which happens to be set in operative position, whereby the timely unseating of the successive valves is occasioned.

The collar P5 which embraces and is snpported as stated by the head b of the standard B, is adapted to have movement in the direction of the axis of the pipe H upon s aid head b, and the carrierplate P4 is supported in a countersunk circumscribing groove or recess formed in the outer face of said collar. The carrier plate P4 is adapted to be maintained in a fixed position with relation to said collar by a stud P6 passing through its structure and adapted to engage in any one ofa series of recesses PT (see Figure 4) formed in the bottom of the undercut orcountersunk groove, said stud passing through a recess P8 closed by a cap P9, a spring within which recess bears against said cap and against a suit:-

able collar on said stud, and maintains said stud temporarily in engagement with any recess P7 in which it happens to be inserted.

fore, as in the rotation of the revoluble structure one after the other of the piston cylinders in succession reaches the appropriate point, t. e., about the position occupied by ,the piston cylinder D in Figures l and 5, the

inlet tripping levers associated with the respective piston cylinders will be tripped by encountering that one of the pair of cams P2 P3 which happens to be in operative position and tripped or deflected by such cam their.

maining open of course duringlthe period the inlet tripping lever is riding over the cam,

which is, of course, to be of any preferred' length.

The acting free ends ot' the so-called tripping cams P2 and P5, are in the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings of' such narrow extent, circumferentially of the structure, that they are mere studs-'or trips and serve to occasion an unseating of the valves of very brief duration, and the word cam as em ployed herein in connection with the devices P2 P5 is intended to cover devices of kindred character whether cams strictly as such or trips or studs.

As a result of this arrangement, the gas is automatically supplied to the several piston chambers in succession as they reach that predetermined point of their revolution at which the entrance of the gas is most advantageous.

\The point at which the inlet tripping levers and consequently the inlet valves are operated, is, of course, determined by the position of the inlet tripping cam, which happens to be in operative position, 1l. e., in position to be encountered by the inlet tripping levers.

As the gas pipe H is stationary while the axle in which it is entered is revoluble, it becomes necessary to very firmly brace the outer end of said pipe, and this I conveniently accomplish by providing it intermediately of its length with a valve-provided elbow Hite which the respective sections of the pipe H are connected in any preferred manner, and I support said elbow and pipe in or upon two distinct divisions or branches of the head h2 of the standard B, as shown in Figurel.

The arrangement l provide to exhaust the gas from the several piston chambers is as follows:

Q are a series of outlet ports, three innumber, leading respectively from the respective piston chambers to a series of valve chambers Q', each embodying a valve seat. Said chambers and seats constitute of course continuations of thev outlet ports or passages.

ICO

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7o In the operation of my apparatus, therey Q2 are a series of outlet valves, mounted in said valve chambers and adapted to said seats, and each equipped with a valve stem Q3.

Q4 are valve stem casings inclosing said valve stems, and q are spiral springs mounted in said valve stem casings, and each bearing as to one extremity against the structure of the casing, and as to the other against a collar q' mounted on the valve stem.

As a result of this arrangement the springs operate to normally maintain the outlet valves snuglyin their seats and the outlets from the piston chambers consequently closed.

In the set of the parts illustrated in Figure l, the valve M of the inlet port of the cylinder D is as shown, in closed position, and the valve Q2 of the outlet port of said cylinder in open position; the path taken by the motive fiuid escaping past the collar on the stem of said last mentioned valve being indicated by arrows. In said position of parts shown in Figure l, the outlet tripping lever R is on and about to pass from the upper end or corner of the outlet tripping cam R2, which end is indicated in dotted lines.

R are a series of outlet tripping levers, three in number, each pivotally connected to the side of a piston cylinder in line beneath the stem of one of the outlet valves, and each as to its outer endadapted to encounter, ride upon, and be tripped by, the crest of one of a pair of outlet tripping cams R R2.

Cams R R2, which I lterm outlet tripping cams, each extend somewhat more than half the distance around the xed shaft 0,-but are disposed at opposite sides thereof, slightly overlapping at their lower eXtremities,-are as to their respective ends, secured to a collar RX mounted upon the head of the standard A, and which collar is free for adjustment longitudinally of said head to carry either of said outlet tripping cams to a position in line beneath the series of outlet tripping levers.

The form, disposition, and timing, of the outlet tripping cam encountered is such that each outlet tripping lever encounters and rides along it after the piston in connection with which such tripping lever operates has reached approximately the innermost point of its stroke, with the result that each outlet tripping lever will at the appropriate time elevate its associated outlet valve stem and valve, so as to give the lead to the exhaust from the piston chamber in connection with which such lever stem and valve operate.

The outlet tripping cam which is in operative position with respect to the outlet tripping levers maintains through the outlet trippinglevers and the valve stems the respective outlet valves as they successively pass over said cam, elevated and open, until in the revolution of the parts the successive pistons return nearly or quite to what may be termed their first position, that is to say, the position occupied by the piston G in Figure l.

Preferably the outer ends both of the inlet tripping levers and the outlet tripping levers, make contact with their respective cams through an interposed caster-like arrangement consisting of balls or spheres mounted in suitable spherical recesses in the under faces of said levers.

A valve stem MX and its associated inlet tripping lever P, constitute, in the particular embodiment of myinvention illustrated,what may be termed a valve gear or operating mechanism of an inlet valve M, that is to say, the lnechanism through which an inlet tripping cam acts to unseat one of said valves. Similarly, a valve stem Q8 and its associated outlet tripping lever R constitute, in said embodiment, what may be termed a valve gear or operating mechanism of an outlet valve Q2. Manifestly, however, in other embodiments of my invention, the valve gears maybe altered and varied in the form and arrangement or increased or lessened in the number of their constituent parts without departure from the spirit of my invention. I do not restrict myself to the use, for example, of the inlet and outlet tripping levers.

T is a throw rod running along the base of the machine, disposed in suitable supporting sockets, and provided with a pair of arms t' t2 rigidly secured to the respective collars P5 and RX.

Y 15X is a link by which one end of said rod is connected to a pivoted lever TX, by the manual movement of which said throw rod may be shifted to move said collars P5 and RX longitudinally, to carry the cams P3 and R2,-or the cams P2 and R',-within range of action of the inlet and outlet tripping leversPand R.

The cams P2 P3, as shown particularly in Figures 2, 3, and 4, of the drawings, are oppositely disposed, on the carrier P4, that is to say, are separated a distance, longitudinally of the axis of the apparatus, corresponding to the distance by which the two cams R R2 are separated, and are also separated a short distance circumferentially of the apparatus. The inlet tripping cam P3 and the outlet tripping cam R2, act in concert upon the inlet tripping levers and the outlet tripping levers,in one set of the parts,- and the inlet tripping cam P2 and the outlet tripping cam R act in concert upon the inlet tripping levers and the outlet tripping levers in the other set ot' the parts. If the motive (i uid enters the successive cylinders When the cams P3 R2 are in operative position, as shown in the drawings, the revoluble body will rotate in the direction of the arrows in Figures 2 and 5, While if said motive Huid enters the successive cylinders when the cams P2 R' are in operative position, the revoluble body will vbe caused to rotate in the opposite direction. The movement of the rod T is suficient to carry the respective pairs ot cams from one position to the other.

Referring to the position of the parts illustrated, the cam P3 will occasion the tripping IIO or unseating of the inlet valves of the respective cylinders to admit motive uid just after each cylinder has passed the position occupied by the cylinder D in Figure 5, thatis to say, just after the piston head of such cylinder has reached the limit of its outward stroke, and such motive fluid acting against the successive piston heads operates to drive the revoluble oody to the right, that is to say, in the direction of thearrows of Figures 2 and 5. Vhen, however, upon the throw ofthe rod T,-the` revoluble body being supposed to be rotating to the right,-the cams P3 R2 are thrown out of operative position, and the cams P2 R thrown into operative position, said cam P2 (being, as shown, at sonne little distance, circumferentially of the apparatus, from the cam P3) will unseat the inlet valve of the first cylinder coming toward it just before said cylinder reaches the position occupied by the cylinder D' in Figure 5, and before the piston head in such cylinder reaches the outer limit` of its stroke, and the consequent inrush to the outer end of said cylinderof" the gas or motive duid will cause the stoppage and return of said piston head to the inner end of its cylinder, and the consequent rotation of the revoluble body to the left.

Assuming the cylinder rst to receive motive fluid after the shifting of the cams, to be that designated D', and that said cylinder, at the time of receiving such duid, occupied a position a little to the left of that it is in Figure 5 shown as occupying, it is manifest that the action of the motive fluid in said cylinder D will not be actively opposed by the motive duid in either of the other cylinders. This for the reason that, under the actuation of the outlet cam R2, the outlet valve of cylinder D2 has by the time the said cylinder has nearly reached the position it is shown in Figure 5 as occupying, becn,`in the travel of the revolnble body in the direction of the arrow, open for a brief time, so that a part of the motive duid of the cylinder D2 has escaped. Furthermore, the set of the parts is now such that in the travel of the revoluble body opposite to the direction of the arrow, the outlet valve of said cylinder Dg will quickly (through, ofcourse, in the arrangement illustrated, its stem and its associated outlet tripping lever), encounter the outlet Acam R' and the motive fluid will be altogether exhausted from said cylinder. lVhile at the'beginning of said, reverse movement of the revoluble body the outer end of the cylinder D3 will be full of motive liuid, such fluid will, in the travel of the revoluble body in a direction the opposite of that of the arrow, be exhausted from said cylinder, for the reason that in the new or reversed set of the parts its outlet valve will be opened and held open through the agency of the cam R', until said valve in its travel to the left passes away from said cam. l

The collar P5 is, as .shown in Figure et, se-

inner ends of' these screws work in grooves in said head, Vwhich grooves are in parallelism with the adjacent portion of the pipe H, and, therefore, do not happen to be visible in any of the gures of the drawings. In the longitudinal shifting ofsaid collar,said screws travel, along said grooves.

V is an oil passage leading through the central portion of the shaft C, its elbow, and the piston axle, and provided with a series of outlets o through the substance of the piston axle into a spiral recess in the face of said axle.

VX is an oil cup provided with an oil pipe 'u' the inner end of which is entered in said passage V.

Oil supplied to said oil cup VX will consequently be constantly supplied,'through the passages described, to the exterior of the piston axle, and maintain the nested ends of the piston rods in a thoroughly lubricated condition.

W, Figures l and 5, are a series of three oil cups, mounted upon the revoluble structure in adjacency to its hub, and each provided with an outlet pipe w leading to and opening through the wall of one of the piston chambers.

w are inlet pipes, leading into said cups, and each closed by any suitable valve.

Whenthe structure is rapidly rotated the AVoilin said cups will, under the centrifugal force developed, be fed outwardly through the pipes w and gradually discharged upon the inner faces of the Walls of the piston chambers with the result that the said walls will be maintained in a thoroughly lubricated condition and the smooth and frictionless working of the pistons insured.

My improved engine may be employed in any capacity in which motors are useful.

I contemplate in practice to bend a belt about the periphery of the revoluble structure and connect said belt with any mechanism it may be desired to propel.

The words, ga-s, and motive duid in the claims are employed as generic terms, and intended to cover broadly all available forms of motive gases, uids or vapors.

Having thusV described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a rotary piston cylinder engine, in combination, a body provided with a plurality of radially disposed piston cylinders, a shaft concentric with respect to said bodyand extending into its interior, a piston axle connected to said shaft and arranged within said revoluble body in a position eccentric with respect to it, piston heads disposed within the respective cylinders, connections between said heads and the piston axle, gas passages leading from the central 'portion of the body to the respective cylinders, valves mounted on said body and arranged to control said respective passages, gears, one of which is assocured to the cylindric head by set screws; the ciated with each of said valves, and shiftable IOS IOS

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vnon-rotating shaft axial with respect'tc said body and extending to its interior, an eccentric piston axle carried on said shaft, pistons mounted in the cylinders, connections between the pistons and the piston axle, a nonrotating motive duid supply pipe, passages formed in the revoluble structure leading from said supply pipe to the respective cylinders and discharging therein, inlet valves which control said passages, outlets formed in the respective cylinders, valves which control said outlets, gears connected with the respective valves, two inlet valve tripping cams arranged at a distance apart circumferentially of the apparatus, two outlet valve tripping cams, occupying different positions circumferentially of the axis of the revoluble body, one inlet valve tripping cam and one outlet valve tripping cam forming an operative set of cams adapted to occasion the operation of said inlet valves and outlet valves, respectively,-the other inlet valve tripping cam and the other outlet valve tripping cam forming a second operative set adapted to occasion the operation of said inlet and outlet valves, respectively, said two sets of cams being adapted to be shifted alternately into acting relation with the inlet and outlet valves, substantially as set forth.

3. In a rotary piston cylinder engine, in combination, a ixed shaft, a standard in which said shaft is mounted, a piston axle carried by said fixed shaft, a revoluble body mountedon said fixed shaft and embodying radial piston cylinders, pistons deposed on the respective cylinders and connected with the piston axle, a depending yoke carried by the piston axle, a spider secured to and rotating with said revoluble body, and having its bearing in said depending yoke and in a standard,

and means for supplying gas to and exhausting it from the piston cylinders, substantially as set forth.

4. In a rotary piston cylinder engine, in combination, a standard or support, a non-rotating shaft mounted on said support, an eccentric piston axle mounted on said shaft, a revoluble body provided with a hub having a bearing on said fixed shaft, a second standard or support, embodying a xed bearing, an axle mounted on said revoluble body and rotatable with itand entered in said fixed bearing, piston cylinders carried by said revoluble body, pistons mounted in said cylinders, connections between said pistons and the piston axle, an axial passage formed in the rotating axle of the revoluble body which passage embodies a cylindric enlargement, a fixed gas supply pipe entered and extending through said axial passage and discharging therein, packing disposed in the enlargement of the axial gas passage and encircling the gas supply pipe, a nut or plug encircling the gas supply pipe, mounted and secured within the axial passage, and compressing said packing therein, and means for conducting gas from said passage to the several cylinders, substantially as set forth.

5. In a rotary piston cylinder engine, in

combination, a standard or support, a non-ro tating shaft mounted on said support, an eccentric pist'on axle mounted on said shaft, a fixed yoke carried by said eccentric piston axle a revoluble body provided with a hub having its bearing on said shaft, a second standard or support provided with a fixed bearing, an axle mounted on said revoluble body and rotating with it, and entered as to one end in said fixed bearing and as toits other end in said yoke, piston cylinders, carried by said revoluble body, pistons mounted in said cylinders, connections between said pistons and the piston axle, and means for supplying gas to and exhausting it from the piston cylinders, substantially as set forth.

6. In a rotary piston cylinder engine, in combination, a support or standard, a non-rotating shaft mounted on said support, an eccentric piston axle mounted on said shaft, a fixed yoke carried by said eccentric piston axle, a revoluble body provided with a hub having its bearing on said shaft, a second standard or support provided with a fixed bearing, an axle mounted on said revoluble body and rotating with it, entered as to one end in said fixed bearing and as to its other end in said yoke, piston cylinders carried by said revoluble body, pistons mounted in said cylinders, connections between said pistons and the piston axle, an axial gas passage formed in the axle mounted on the revoluble body and equipped with branches extending radially therefrom through the substance of the axle, means for supplying gas to said passage, means for conveying gas from said radial branches to the several cylinders, and means for exhausting the gas at the appropriate times from the several cylinders, substantially as set forth.

7. In a rotarypiston cylinder engine, in combination, two fixed standards, a non-rotating shaft supported on one of said standards, a revoluble body having a hub encircling and rotating upon said non-rotating shaft, and having also an axle entered and rotating in a horizontal bearing on the other standard, an eccentric piston axle mounted on the said non-rotating shaft, a non-rotating yoke carried by said piston axle, a projection on the rotating axle having a bearing on said yoke, a gas passage formed in said rotating axle, a series of piston cylindersembodied in said revoluble body, pistons mounted in said cylinders, connections between said pistons and said piston axle, means for supplying gas from the gas passage to the respective cylin- ICO IIO

ders,and means for automatically exhausting gas from said cylinders, substantially as set forth.

8. In ya rotary pistonV cylinder engine provided with a series of piston chambers having inlet valves adapted to be tripped by inlet tripping levers, in combination, a head, a collar mounted on said head and adapted to be moved lengthwise of the same, a cam carrier plate mounted on said collar and adapted to be moved circumferentially of the saine and secured in various positions,and cams mou nted on said cam carrier plate and adapted to be encountered by the inlet tripping levers, substantially as set forth.

9. In a rotary piston cylinder engine provided with a series of piston chambers having inletvalves adapted to be tripped by inlet tripping levers, in combination, a head, a collar mounted on said head and adapted to be moved lengthwise of the same, a cam carrier plate mounted on said collar and adapted to be moved circumferentially of the saine and secured in various positions, and alpair of inlet tripping cams mounted on said plate at a distance apart from each other circumferentially of the collar and at a distance from each other longitudinally of the axis of the head.

l0. In a rotary pistou cylinderengine, as a means for tripping an inlettripping lever, a head,a collar mounted on said head and adapted to be moved lengthwise of the same, acam carrier plate mounted in an undercut groove in the face of said collar, and provided with a stud adapted to engage in recesses in the face of the same, a spring which tends to nor `mally maintain the said stud in engagement with one of said recesses, and a pair of cams arranged at a distance from each other circumferentiallyof the collar, mounted on said cam carrier plate, substantially as set forth.

l1. In a rotary piston cylinder engine, in combination, a fixed shaft, a piston axle,a revoluble body mounted on said fixed shaft and having piston cylinders, pistons, and piston rods, a trunnion like axle carried by and rotating With said revolu ble body and embodying an axial gas passage, a gas pipe leading to the interior of said gas passage, a series of inlet ports formed one in connection with each of the cylinders, a series of pipes lead# ing from the gas passage or branches thereof to said inlet ports, valve chambers formed one in connection with each of said inlet ports, puppet valves mounted one in each of said valve chambers, stems connected to said puppet valves and protruding through suitable packed openings formed in the walls or adjacent portions of the valve chambers, and means for tripping or operating all said valves at a predetermined point in each rotation of the structure, substantially as set forth.

l2. In a rotary piston cylinder engine, in combination, aixed shaft, a piston axle,a revoluble body mounted on said fixed shaft and having radial piston cylinders containing pistons and piston rods, a series of valve provided inlet ports leading to the respective cylinders and in communication with a source of gas supply, a series of outlet ports formed in said revoluble body, and in communication with the respective piston cylinders, valves which control said outlet ports, independent.

of the valves which control the inlet ports, stems depending from said outlet valves, a series of tripping levers mounted on and carried by the revoluble structure the throw of which occasions the uuseating of the outlet valves, a pair of cams arranged on opposite sides of the xed shaft, adapted to be alternately carried into position to be encountered by said outlet tripping levers, substantially as set forth.

13. In arotarypiston cylinder engine, a revoluble structure embodying radial piston chambers each equipped With a valve provided inlet port on one side and a valve provided outlet port on the other, a xed shaft, a piston axle eccentric with respect thereto, pistons disposed in the respective piston chambers and connected with thepiston axle a series ofinlet tripping levers, a series of outlet tripping levers, a pair of cams arranged at a distancefrom each other both in the direction of the axis of the revoluble structure and circumferentially of said axis, supported in the vicinity of the inlet tripping levers, a pair of cams respectively arranged on opposite sides of the fixed shaft, supported in the vicinity of the outlet tripping levers, and means for occasioning the concerted movement of the cam supporting devices to carry selected cams, one of each pair, into position to trip said inlet and outlet tripping levers, respectii'rely,r substantially as set forth.

le. In arotary piston cylinder engine, arevoluble structure embodying radial piston cylinders, pistons and piston rods mounted in said cylinders, a fixed shaft, a piston axle eccentric with respect thereto, each cylinder having in one side an inlet port equipped with an inlet valve and in the other side an outlet port equipped with an outlet valve, a pair of cams arranged at a distance from each other circumferentially of the axis of the revoluble structure, mounted on a longitudinally moving collar or device in the vicinity of the inlet valves, a pair of cams arranged on oppol site sides of the fixed' shaft and mounted on a longitudinally movable collar or device in the vicinity of the outlet valves, devices through which said valves make contact with the respective cams, a longitudinally movable rod mounted in a suitable bearing and connected to said movable devices or collars, and a manually operated device to occasion the longitudinal movement of said rod, substantially as set forth.

15. In a rotary piston cylinder engine,a support provided with a bearing, a revoluble body formed with an axial openingat one'side, and at its opposite side provided with a hollow axle journaled in said bearing, a main IIO ' tric piston axle, the hollow axle being closed at its inner end, a connection from said hollow axle to the cylinders, and means for su pplying motive fluid to said hollow axle, substantially as set forth.

16. In a rotary piston cylinder engine,a su pporting frame, a revoluble body formed with an axial opening at one side and at its opposite side provided with a hollow axle, adapted to receive motive fluid, said hollow axle being journaled in a bearing formed in said supporting frame, a motive fluid conveyer arranged to discharge Within said fluid receiving hollow axle, a fixed shaft, provided with an eccentric piston axle, said shaft being extended through said axial opening and suitably supported and a plurality of cylinders carried by said body and provided with pistons connected by pitmen to said piston axle, connections from the Huid receiving hollow axle to the cylinders, valves which control said connections, a cam adapted to trip said valves, stationary relatively to the revoluble body, but adapted to be set to and secured in various positions of adjustment crcumferentially of the axis of the revoluble body, substantially as set forth.

17. In a rotary piston cylinder engine, in combination, abody provided With a plurality of radially disposed piston cylinders, each having an outlet controlled by an outlet valve, a shaft central with respect to said body and extending into its interior, a piston axle connected to said shaft and arranged within said revoluble body in a position eccentric with respect to it, piston heads disposed Within the respective cylinders, connections between said heads and the piston axle, supply passages leading from the central portion of the body to the respective cylinders, inlet valves mounted on said body and'arranged to control said respective passages, an inlet trip` ping cam adapted to successively unseat the inlet valves, and another cam adapted to successively unseat the outlet valves, substantially as set forth. Y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I have hereunto signed my name this 16th day of M arch, A. D. 1899.

CHARLES E. HITE.

In presence of- F. NORMAN DIXON, THos. K. LANCASTER. 

